SNP Climate Change Announcement is Utterly Inadequate

Scottish Labour’s Wendy Alexander MSP has repeated her demand for the SNP Government to bring forward a credible plan to meet Scotland’s commitments on cutting carbon emissions by 42 per cent by 2020.

Ms Alexander repeated her demand after the Scottish Government announced that their annual target for emissions cut would only be 0.05 per cent this year, growing to an unambitious 0.5 per cent next year.

She said ministers had not even bothered to address the Committee on Climate Change’s warning that meeting the target would be difficult without real action including implementing the practical measures in the Climate Change Act such as council tax reductions for greener homes, support for people to install devices like mini wind-turbines and a public engagement strategy.

Wendy Alexander said:

“These targets brought forward by the SNP are utterly inadequate. How is this country meant to meet Scotland’s commitments on cutting carbon emissions by 42 per cent by 2020 with this lack of action from the SNP.

“The Scottish Government talk a good game on Climate change but they haven’t put in place the practical policies needed to reduce our green house gas emissions. Alex Salmond won’t meet Scotland’s commitment on cutting carbon emissions with more hot air.

“The SNP government only pushed the emissions reducing target to 42 per cent after bowing under pressure from Labour to sign up to tougher targets. They have had over six months to get things moving, but today’s announcement has written off the whole of this Parliament. They’re leaving all the work for the next Scottish Government.   

“Ministers need to implement the practical measures in the Act such as council tax reductions for greener homes, support for people to install devices like mini wind-turbines and a public engagement strategy now.”